//------------------------------// // Pregnancy by Misago // Story: Magic of Love: A Twidance Prompt Collab // by ArguingPizza //------------------------------// by Misago ~~~ "Congratulations, me." Cadance's whisper was the only noise sounding in the empty examination room of Canterlot Palace. Empty, except for her and the official document confirming what she already knew. Pregnant. Wrapped in her telekinetic aura, she had looked at it for the last ten minutes. It felt unreal, as if it might disappear, as if she would wake up at any moment. As if it was just a strange and intimidating dream. She was happy, really. Shiny and her got along great, she had always wished for a loving family, to have foals of her own she could care for ever since she was a teenager. There was knocking at the door. Hastily, Cadance put on a smile, and called "Come in!" The door opened silently, and Cadance felt the familiar shiver of nearby alicorn magic. She felt her heartrate jump. It couldn't be... To her relief, it was Celestia who stepped in, smiling. "Congratulations, Cadance", Celestia said with a nod towards the floating piece of paper. "Thank you", Cadance replied, smile warming. "It still feels a bit unreal to me, though." There was something strange about Celestia's smile. As fast as it had gone, Cadance's unrest returned. "Is there something wrong, aunty?", she asked. "No, not as such", Celestia assured her. "Cadance, I know that few parents want to find out the species of their foal beforehand", Celestia began again. "I have to tell you, however." Cadance held her breath. "You're going to have an alicorn filly." They stared at each other, Cadance's expression of shock turning to confusion. "And that is a problem?", she asked with more than a tinge of hostility in her voice. "A problem?" Celestia shook her head slowly, seemingly to dispel Cadance's anger. "No. However, since the foal belongs to a magically gifted species, we - or, in this case, I - took some additional measurements, just as a precaution. Her magic is strong. Exceptionally strong, in fact. Since there are no known cases of alicorn pregnancies, we can not rule out that this is normal. However, I felt something... familiar. So I personally tested the magic aura." "It matches your own, in part, that much was obvious. But it did not match your husband. It matches Twilight." Cadance felt her heart hammering in her chest. She wanted to shout, to accuse Celestia of making a joke. of trying to aggravate her. "W-what are you saying? Do you think I cheated on Shiny? With his sister?" Her voice felt weak, and she had to take deep breaths to calm herself. How could that be? She would never... But there was a treacherous part of her mind that usually was content to remain silent during the day. It waited for those rare moments where she was alone, where she was not Princess Mi Amore Cadenza of the Crystal Empire, only Cadance, who dreamt of the fairy tale ending to her story... That part found its voice now. "But you want to", it said. "You wanted it for years. Only you were afraid to take a chance, to woo the shy, bookish mare you grew up with. The dashing knight was just so much easier to handle, right?" Cadance felt the tear sting in her eyes. "I never...never..." was all she managed to get out, her lips quivering. "Cadance, listen to me!" Celestia's wing came out of nowhere and wrapped her in a warm cocoon. Desperate, she threw herself at her aunt, wrapping her hooves around the taller alicorn. "I don't believe for a second that either you or Twilight would be capable of something like that. I know as sure as I know that Luna is my sister that both of you are incapable of something this deceitful." "T-then what are you telling me?", Cadance whispered. She pressed deeper into the great white wing rubbing her back soothingly. "I do not know. Is there maybe something you should be telling?" When Cadance said nothing, Celestia continued. "We alicorns are deeply magical beings, not only in what we project on the outside. For example, Luna is much more attuned to my magic than to Twilight's, because we are sisters and thus much closer than she and Twilight are. We both feel the magic of the other influencing the moon or the sun." "And you? You are the princess of love. And just maybe you longed for something, deep in your heart." Cadance looked up into Celestia's face. She knew that she had to say it now. She knew what had happened. "I... I wanted this", she said with a rough voice. "My body reacted to Twilight's magic because... because I am in love with her." She gasped. "I am in love with Twily", she repeated slowly. She felt Celestia kiss her forehead softly. "I am glad", the older Alicorn said. "But what should I do now?", Cadance asked, head once again buried against Celestia's neck. "You came to Canterlot for the examination for a reason, didn't you? The only thing to do is tell them both. It won't be easy. Ponies will get hurt. But in the end, you have to follow your heart. Can you promise me that, Cadance?" Cadance swallowed. It would be hard. She had no guarantee that Twilight would accept her. That Shining Armor would talk to her ever again. But for the sake of the filly growing inside of her, with Celestia as her witness, she would try. And maybe she would have the family she always wished for. "I promise."